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FourÌýsenior leadersÌýwith extensiveÌýinvestmentÌýand real estateÌýexpertiseÌýare to join the National Housing Bank,ÌýaÌýHomesÌýEngland company.Ìý

TheyÌýhaveÌýbeenÌýappointed toÌýexecutive roles at theÌýnewly launchedÌýPublicÌýFinanceÌýInstitution, which isÌýfocused on accelerating the delivery of new homes and communities across EnglandÌýthrough crowding in over £50ÌýbillionÌýof private capitalÌýto deliverÌýmore thanÌý500,000 homes.Ìý

The bank, which launched in April 2026,ÌýhasÌýconfirmed the following appointmentsÌýandÌýpostsÌýfollowingÌýa rigorous interview process:Ìý

Steve Willingham,ÌýExecutive Director,ÌýDebt.ÌýÌý

Currently Head of Global Investment Partnerships – Debt at DRC Savills Investment Management, Steve has more than 35 years of experience in real estate finance,Ìýincluding as Global Head of Real Estate Finance for HSBC in London and Hong Kong and as a Managing Director at Blackrock and Merrill Lynch. He brings deepÌýexpertiseÌýacross debt, structuredÌýfinanceÌýand global capital markets.Ìý

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I am delighted to be joining the National Housing BankÌýasÌýpart of the senior leadership team tasked with accelerating housing delivery across England, building on the groundwork and momentum that has been created already. This is a unique opportunity to make a difference in a nationally important field.

Jennifer Murray,ÌýExecutive Director, Equity.Ìý

JenniferÌýis currentlyÌýDirector of Products, Equity and PartnershipsÌýforÌýHomesÌýEnglandÌýand the NationalÌýHousing Bank.ÌýSheÌýhas more thanÌý25 years of experience in real estate investment, fund management, and institutional partnerships. Since joining Homes England in 2018, Jennifer has heldÌýa number ofÌýsenior roles, including Assistant Director, Partnerships & Equity, and Head of Institutional Investment.ÌýPrior toÌýjoiningÌýHomes England, sheÌýheld variousÌýseniorÌýpropertyÌýfundÌýmanagement roles at Tesco PensionÌýInvestment andÌýSchroders.Ìý

Jennifer said:

I originally joined Homes England because I believe firmly in the virtuous circle that pension fund and insurance investment in housing can create. Along the way we have built both a team and an investment platform that aligns financial innovation with purpose, delivering outcomes thatÌýbenefitÌýinvestors, residents, and society alike.ÌýIt’sÌýa privilege to continue that mission for the National Housing Bank.

Barry Fowler,ÌýExecutive Director,ÌýGuarantees.Ìý

BringingÌýsignificant experience in real estate finance and investment,ÌýBarryÌýhasÌýheld senior leadership roles at Aviva Investors, including Director, Insurance & Investment Solutions and Managing Director, Alternative Income, Real Assets, where he was responsible for developing and delivering investment strategies across real asset classes.ÌýPriorÌýtoÌýAvivaÌýheÌýwas Head of Corporate Real EstateÌýat Lloyds Banking Group.Ìý

Barry said:Ìý

ThisÌýisÌýa rare opportunity to apply my experience in structured investment leadership to an institution with the scale and ambition to genuinely shift outcomes in the housing market.

Conan McKenzie,ÌýChief Investment Officer.Ìý

Currently a Managing Director and portfolio manager at BlackRock, Conan has extensive experience in multi-asset investing and portfolio construction. He specialises in managing diversified strategies which blend multiple asset classes to achieve target outcomes. He has also been involved in illiquid and alternative investments forÌýmore thanÌýa decade, leadingÌýa number ofÌýlarge investments into infrastructure and real estate. He has been with BlackRock since 2011, initially joining as a research analyst within the Multi-Asset Strategies division.Ìý

Conan said:Ìý

We have an incredible opportunity to use our large capital base to make a significant positive impact on housing delivery, along with a positive financial return for the taxpayer.ÌýÌýA decent, stable place to call home is the foundation that lets people flourish, andÌýit’sÌýa privilege to use the tools of investment to deliver that forÌýmore and moreÌýpeople.

Powered byÌýHomes EnglandÌýexpertise,Ìýthe bank aims toÌýsupport the delivery of more than 500,000 homes and a raft of major regeneration and mixed-use schemes, alongside unlocking more than £53ÌýbillionÌýof private investment over the next ten years.Ìý

National Housing Bank CEO,ÌýSimon Century, said:Ìý

I am delightedÌýwe have secured theÌýformidableÌýskills,Ìýknowledge andÌýexperienceÌýthat Steve, Jennifer, Barry andÌýConanÌýbringÌýas leaders in their own rightÌý– and excited to come together as a collective to ensure the bank, together with Homes England colleagues, builds on early successes to achieve its aims at pace and with maximum effect.Ìý

Like all colleagues working for this new institutionÌýandÌýthe broader agency,ÌýweÌýare unitedÌýby aÌýstrong, purpose-driven missionÌýtoÌýaccelerate the delivery of new homes and regenerated placesÌýpeople want and need.ÌýThese appointmentsÌýmean we are in a strong position to achieve that and more, and I am looking forward to workingÌýwith them as part of anÌýoutstandingÌýteam.

National Housing Bank Chair, Peter Vernon, said:

I am pleased to see four highly talented, experienced individuals coming together to become key leaders within the bank, which has already hit the ground running with a clear, mission-driven focus that has yielded positive, early results.Ìý

The board will continue to provide support, strong governance and guidance to Simon and his team as it takes full shape to ensure the bank continues to deliver effectivelyÌýandÌýat pace for the good of places and communities across the country.

The new appointees are expected to take up their roles byÌýthe end ofÌýSeptember.Ìý

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Notes to editorsÌý

About the National Housing Bank  Ìý

The National Housing Bank, aÌýHomesÌýEngland company, isÌýaÌýgovernment-backed public finance institutionÌýproviding purpose-led finance toÌýaccelerateÌýhousingÌýdelivery and regenerationÌýacross England.Ìý

Over the next decade, it will invest up to £16 billion through debt, equity, and guarantee products, stepping in where the market cannot,Ìýand aims to attract more than £50bn of private capital toÌýenableÌýmore homes, stronger places and thriving, sustainable communities.  Ìý

The bank offers partners tailored and blended finance solutions alongside the full range of Homes England support. Its delegations and flexible approach means it can respond with agility to shifting market conditions, ensuring investment reaches the areas of greatest need.  ÌýLearn more:ÌýNational Housing Bank - °Ç¸ç³Ô¹ÏÌý

About Homes England   Ìý

Homes England, theÌýgovernment’s housing and regenerationÌýagency,Ìýexists toÌýdrive the creation of more affordable, quality homes and thriving places so that everyone has a place to live and grow. Ìý

It makesÌýthis happen by working in partnership with thousands of organisations of all sizes, usingÌýitsÌýpowers, expertise, land, capital and influence to bring investment to communities and get more quality homes built. Ìý

Learn more: /government/organisations/homes-england/about   Ìý

Biography: Steve Willingham, National Housing BankÌýExecutive Director,ÌýDebt

Steve has more than 30 years of experience in real estate finance, with deepÌýexpertiseÌýacross debt, structuredÌýfinanceÌýand global capital markets. He is currently Head of Global Investment Partnerships – Debt at DRC Savills Investment Management.Ìý

Prior to this, Steve spent more than a decade at HSBC, where he held several senior leadership roles in London and Hong Kong including Global Head of Real Estate Finance and Global Co-Head of Event Financing across infrastructure and real estate. His earlier experience includes senior positions at BlackRock, MGPA and Merrill Lynch, as well as a long tenure at Nationwide Building Society, where he led Structured Property Finance. Steve holds an MBA from Henley Management College.Ìý

Biography: Jennifer Murray, National Housing BankÌýExecutive Director, Equity

Currently Director of Products, Equity and PartnershipsÌýfor theÌýNationalÌýHousingÌýBank andÌýHomes England, Jennifer Murray has over 25 years of experience in real estate investment, fund management, and institutional partnerships. Since joining Homes England in 2018, Jennifer has heldÌýa number ofÌýsenior roles, including Assistant Director, Partnerships & Equity, and Head of Institutional Investment, overseeing investment programmes and building strategic partnerships across the housing sector.Ìý

Earlier in her career, Jennifer was Property Fund Manager at Tesco Pension Investment, and spent 16 years at Schroders, where she held roles including Fund Manager, Property Multi-Manager, Fund Manager of the Schroder Emerging Retail Fund, and Retail Asset Manager for the Schroder Exempt Property Unit Trust. She began her career as a Surveyor at Weatherall Green & Smith, developingÌýexpertiseÌýin property valuation and advisory.Ìý

Biography: Barry Fowler, National Housing BankÌýExecutiveÌýDirector,ÌýGuarantees

Barry hasÌývery significantÌýexperience in real estate finance and investment, with a strong focus on alternative income and institutional capital. Most recently, he heldÌýa number ofÌýsenior leadership roles at Aviva Investors, including Director, Insurance & Investment Solutions and Managing Director, Alternative Income, Real Assets, where heÌýwas responsible forÌýdeveloping and delivering investment strategies across real asset classes.Ìý

During his time at Aviva Investors, Barry also held governance roles including Director of the Supervisory Board of its Luxembourg business and Board Director with CEO (SMF1) responsibilities for its UK fund services entity.Ìý

In addition, Barry served as a Board Director and Past Chair of CREFC Europe, contributing to the development of the European real estate finance market.ÌýEarlier in his career, he was Head of Corporate Real Estate at Lloyds Banking Group, where he led real estate lending and client coverage activities.Ìý

Biography: Conan McKenzie, National Housing Bank,ÌýChief Investment Officer

Conan is a Managing Director at BlackRock, with extensive experience in multi-asset investing and portfolio construction. He specialises in managing highly diversified funds andÌýmandates ,Ìýwith a particular emphasis on ESG integration and alternativeÌýinvestments, andÌýhas madeÌýa number ofÌýinvestments into residential housing.ÌýÌý

He has been with BlackRock since 2011, initially joining as a research analyst within the Multi-Asset Strategies division. Over this time, he hasÌýbeen responsible forÌýmanaging or co-managingÌýmore thanÌý£10bn of multi-asset portfolios on behalf of pension schemes,ÌýcharitiesÌýand retail investors around the world.ÌýIn particular heÌýhas led BlackRock’s successful suite of multi-asset charity funds for twelveÌýyears, andÌýgrew a multi-asset ESG fund to over 6bn euros through consistent first quartile investment performance.ÌýÌý

In addition, he leads his team’s research coverageÌýofÌý alternativeÌýinvestments, with a particular focus on illiquid asset classes. He has made significant and successful investments into UK infrastructure and real estate over the last twelve years.ÌýÌý

Press Office Contact Details  ÌýÌý

Email: media@homesengland.gov.uk  ÌýÌý

Phone: 0207 874 8262Ìý

ENDS